


Colours of Christmas

by Tsuki_Amano



Series: 365 Stucky Shots [24]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, M/M, not civil war compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-12 01:52:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5649373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuki_Amano/pseuds/Tsuki_Amano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky makes good on a Christmas promise.</p><p>*Based on a Tumblr prompt where Person A opens a gift from Person B, which is a huge box, that gets progressively smaller until they find what's inside*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Colours of Christmas

**_December 23 rd, 1937- Brooklyn_ **

Bucky huddles deeper into his worn out coat and trudges along, narrowly avoiding a hassled young woman who looks like she’ll fall over soon under the weight of her bags. Ordinarily, he might have asked her whether she needed any help, but today, he’s only got one thing on his mind. And that’s to get Steve home as quick as possible. The thick blankets of snow that cover the ground and icy roads do little to make their journey any more pleasant.

Wincing as another blast of wind stings his face, he wants to find it within himself to be angry at Steve, he really does. But he can’t. Steve had wanted to visit Sarah, wish her a merry Christmas, he had said. And with the forecast for tomorrow being even worse than today, there was no way they would have been able to visit the cemetery tomorrow. Oh but Sarah would have had a few choice words for Bucky if she knew how he was letting Steve run around in the cold. Steve, who had just recovered from another round of the flu. Steve, who had finally stopped coughing so hard that his entire body shook from the effort. Steve, who….

Steve who wasn’t right behind Bucky like he was supposed to be.

Bucky swore under his breath and looked around. Luckily, he spots the bright blue knitted hat Mrs. Barnes had made for Steve last year, squashed over his shock of blond hair, the bright colours standing out amidst the dull wintry landscape.

Darting towards his friend, he grabs his shoulder and Steve turns around, startled.

“Warn a guy, would ya pal?” Bucky says annoyed. He hates the inexplicable way his heart stops whenever Steve goes missing like that. He hates the way his mind immediately conjures up the possibility of Steve having gotten into a fight, lying injured and alone in some dark alley.

Steve looks embarrassed and ducks his head, the redness on his cheeks not entirely caused by the cold. “Sorry Buck, didn’t mean to worry you. Just got a bit distracted is all. Let’s go.”

But now Bucky’s curious, he wants to know what caught Steve’s eye.

Still holding onto Steve’s shoulder, he leans into to look at the display case, and his heart clenches. They’ve both agreed this year that there wouldn’t be any Christmas presents. Steve can’t afford them after all the medical bills and other expenses that he’d needed to pay off after Sarah had passed. Bucky doesn’t want to add more weight onto Steve’s already overburdened shoulders. Instead, they’ve agreed on a quiet Christmas evening, doing things the other likes. Bucky’s agreed to let Steve draw him even though he hates sitting still and Steve’s agreed to play charades with Bucky, even though he can’t act to save his life.

It didn’t mean that Steve didn’t want things for Christmas though. On the illuminated display case is a small box of colouring pencils, two dozen by the looks of it. Bucky knows that Steve wanted more art supplies, his are sorely lacking and the few colouring pencils he’d got from school have been sharpened and re-sharpened till they were about half the size of his little finger.

“Stevie,” he breathes, aware of how important his wording is, “Why don’t we go in and have a look at it? See how much it is? I’ve got some extra money saved up and I’ve been meaning to cut down on my cigs anyway.”

For a second, he sees Steve consider it, but then his shoulders drop ever so slightly, and Bucky’s stomach drops along with them.

“That’s alright Bucky. We said, no presents this year. ‘Sides, I’m not too good with them anyway. It’d be a waste. Come on, let’s just go home.”

And he sets off, hands in his pockets and head bowed.

Bucky stands still for a moment, before catching up to him and throwing his arm across Steve’s shoulders. “Alright punk, then next year for sure. Saves me the trouble of having to decide what to get for you. Let’s just go home and have a practice round of charades, so I can practice winning.”

Steve grins and shoves at him playfully, “You wish jerk. Don’t be so cocky.”

Once they’re closer to their apartment, Bucky lets his hand hold Steve’s, squeezing it tight for comfort. In his mind, he makes a promise to get those pencils for his best guy. Because no matter what, Stevie deserved the stars and the moon in Bucky’s eyes.

**_December 25 th, 2015- Brooklyn_ **

Bucky’s lounging on the window seat, comfy in a pair of sweatpants and an ugly Christmas sweater. _(It’s a gift from Tony, with a Robot Santa Claus. It was hideous. Bucky loved it_.) He’s waiting for Steve to come up to their room. Although he’d stayed for a part of the Christmas celebrations, he’d left after a point. He’d gotten better at dealing with crowds and people, but there were still times when he needed breaks and time on his own.

His gaze falls on his gift for Steve and he wonders if he’ll like it.

He hopes he does.

A few minutes later, Steve walks in, holding a tray with cookies and hot chocolate.

“I come bearing gifts!” he exclaims, in that eager way that reminds Bucky of an excitable puppy and makes him want to pat Steve’s head.

Smiling, he pads over to Steve, who opens his mouth to say something when he catches sight of the present in the corner.

“Aw, Buck, I thought we weren’t doing presents this year. You should have told me.” He groans.

Bucky smiles secretively and sips his hot chocolate, moaning appreciatively. He grins at Steve who’s staring at him now. That sap, he wore his emotions on his sleeve.

“Oh no, no way Rogers. Present first, then we can make-out. Honestly, for a ninety-year old man, you have the mind-set of a teenager.”

Rolling his eyes, Steve makes his way towards the present, “You’re a riot Buck. Whipping out the geriatric jokes already are we? Wow pal, what did you get me, this thing is huge.” And it is, it’s about the size and width of a small chair.

“Well, you’ll just have to open it and find out won’t you?” Bucky snarks, returning to his hot chocolate.

Steve carefully unwraps the paper (still stuck in those Brooklyn days where they’d recycle the wrapping paper for as long as they could) and opens the box, only to snort when he found a smaller box inside.

“You’re a man after my own heart Barnes, a cardboard box. However did you know?”

“Keep going.” Is all Bucky says.

So Steve does, going until the box gets smaller and smaller and smaller. Till it’s about the size of a medium sized plate.

Unwrapping it, he sucks in a sharp breath.

There, carefully placed in a wooden box are twenty four colouring pencils, neat and ready to use.

Steve looks up at Bucky, his eyes shining. “Bucky, this is…”

“Always promised myself I’d get these for you. I knew how much you wanted them. Maybe they’re not exactly the same, but I never back down for a promise, not for you.”

Steve’s breath hitches and he walks unsteadily to Bucky, curling up next to him. Bucky lets him, wrapping his arm around him, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“It’s been a long winter doll, but you and me, we’re going to be fine. After all, the summer’s coming isn’t it.”

 

* * *

 

Come say hi! I'm on [tumblr](http://everydayindian.tumblr.com/). 

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas (belated) and Happy holidays to those celebrated them! And Happy New Years as well!  
> This is complete fluff written to start getting back in the habit of writing again. I hope you enjoyed it!


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